This book was charming! I enjoyed the illustrations, the vocabulary and how the story unfolded. Adventure stories are always a favorite and this one did not disappoint. Another interesting part of the book is the element of mystery and how you have to keep reading to see how the story turns out. Well done!

Pretty cute. I really enjoyed the illustrations. It simplified historical events and people to make it more accessible and fun for all audiences. Easy to read with a consistent pace. An easy read that kids will enjoy and ask for more.

Okay, friends, I did it again. I chose a book to read by the cover, and for no other reason. How can you ignore one so inviting? And I do love a good middle-grade story. So, yep, another review choice without reading the synopsis.

As I began this story, I could see that it was going to be filled with historical facts wrapped around some fun characters. As you might guess, the animals on the cover, sheep, rooster, and duck are a unique super-hero team. And each has special gifts, the sheep is an artist, the rooster, is a wild sword-wielding fowl, and the duck? Well, someone has to stop quacking jokes and be in charge of the plans and strategy. (Couldn’t help it. The fun cover made me do it.)

The historical references and names teach, while our team of characters plus a few others, weave through the story causing the learning to be woven neatly into an outlandishly fun adventure.

While not all of the graphics were included in the ARC that I reviewed, I can imagine that they break up the prose beautifully, allowing a break for reluctant readers. Plus, ahem, older readers who love graphic novels.

My Concerns
When I started reading I wondered if it didn’t feel too mature, not in content but wording. But kids are far more advanced than in the past, so probably this isn’t much of a concern.

Final Thoughts
Now, what child, or for that matter adult, can pass up a book with this cover? And then when it contains a wild ride with animals and historic figures, I say it’s an easy thumbs up.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to review. I was completely free to express my thoughts.

Thank you to the Harper Collins and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this delightful book. This story, reminiscent of the Three Musketeers and also taking place in France, is a wonderful adventure with a promise of more to come. Can’t wait to find out what happens next.

If you enjoy books like Flora & Ulysses or Wild Robot, this is a great pick. It is a hilarious and adventure-filled reimagining of historical events involving animal spies, secret-stealing, Ben Franklin, a German hypnotist, and the first hot air balloon flight. I really liked this story. The intricate plot, high quality text, and fantastic illustrations make this good for voracious and reluctant readers.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars for this novel/graphic novel hybrid. Not all of the art was available in the ARC I read but what was there was a helpful part of the story, so I imagine the rest will only help to elevate the story even more. The book was entertaining but I have to admit that I struggled a bit at the beginning to place all the characters/events of the story, so I imagine it would also be difficult for kids. But I think they'll like the superhero nature of the sheep, the rooster, and the duck!

Many of us learned about Mongolfier's first hot air balloon launch in 1783, but what of the animals on board this fledgling voyage? Author Matt Phelan takes us on a harrowing trip to learn about a plucky duck, a roguish rooster, and a not-sot sheepish sheep who strive to protect the world from injustice, nefarious plots, and threats to society. Nine-year old Emile will meet them and Sophie as he works for Benjamin Franklin in his château in Passy. Our heroes encounter other historical figures as well including the king and queen of France at the time, Mozart, Mesmer, Cagliotro, Guillotin, Lavoisier, and many more. An entertaining read that can tie in well with a history unit and science studies. At twenty short chapters, this would make a perfect bedtime read for just under a month.

The story here is funny and charming with big historical figures including Benjamin Franklin and Mozart as well as fictional characters-a talking sheep, a sword wielding rooster, and a problem solving duck. There is a compelling mystery and potentially some amazing art work. Unfortunately, the art work was incomplete in the e-copy that I received, so it's impossible to tell how that might add to the story.

I didn't actually know about the sheep, rooster and duck and the role they played in history until this book. This book is full of historical facts and beautiful illustrations all in a whimsical story.

With historical allusions, it makes an easy connection for most readers (depending on age, memory, and education). The illustrations were beautiful without being too cartoonish. It's a funny story that will keep you entertained. I am still trying to put my finger on what separated it from a 4 or a 5 star review, but I feel like I wanted to be "wowed" more by the narrative. Overall, an enjoyable read with beautiful illustrations.

I really enjoyed the mystery and adventure part of the story. The villain is just evil enough without being too cartoonish. The illustrations add to and complement the story perfectly. They add a sense of action to the story that is sure to draw young readers in. The author made a good choice in having the escape scene told with a lot of illustrations rather than just text. Drawing in real life people like Ben Franklin, Mozart, Napoleon, and Marie Antionette will hopefully lead readers to want to learn more about history.

A heavily-illustrated, funny, and adventurous fantasy for young readers, incorporating true-to-life elements and figures from history, created by the award-winning and beloved Matt Phelan.

To begin, this book is not like any other book I have read. It is filled with historical situations presented in a very magical and whimsical way. I think the audience this is intended for will really like the story and will definitely like the characters.

That being said, here is my review.

The story is about a group of animals, a sheep, a rooster and a duck, that talk. They are sort of like a super-hero team in the late 1700’s, early 1800’s. The duck is a master of strategy, the sheep is an artist, and the rooster is like Zorro, wielding a sword to dispense justice.

All in all it’s not a bad premise. My only concern is the advanced copy I read was supposed to be a graphic novel, read longer comic book, but there is more novel than pictures. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a little confusing. I have come to the conclusion after reading it, that, this book would be better suited to a middle-grade novel rather than a graphic novel. For one, the descriptions are way more fleshed out, and you get a feel for the characters and how they think when it is written. That being said, it kept my attention, and I couldn’t wait to turn the page and see what was going to happen next.

I loved all the many historical references, because, I didn’t really know who some of the people talked about were; so I set off to google them, and was like, oh okay, nice. I think that they intended audience will want to research these characters and get to know a little bit more about them and how they were significant to history.

I liked, in one scene, the inside of the secret society of dreamers was described, saying there was various colors of clouds and it seemed like the character was descending from the heavens. That is a super magical and whimsical way of setting a mood and I could just imagine how that would look. Granted, in the final book, I’m sure it will be drawn and we can all see how truly spectacular that scene is, but, for me, the description was just spot on. That is one of the reasons, I think this book might succeed better if it was just written out as a novel. It will lose some of the author’s word magic in just being shown.

But, I have to say, the story is engrossing, all but a little slow to start. It soon turns into a real action-packed adventure that has a really good ending – which leaves it open for more stories of these super-hero animals to be told in the future. I think it will appeal to it’s target audience, boy, girl or inbetween. I would give this book three and a half stars as a graphic novel, solid four stars as just a novel.

My thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC.

Simultaneously whimsical, profound and hilarious, Phelan's latest historical fiction is a delight. Set in/about 1785 in a Paris suburb, his title characters are spies who defend France “wherevever there is injustice, nefarious plots or threats to society.” Children Sophie and Emile join the animals to prevent evil sorcerer Cagliostro from starting a war between England and France and foil his plot to invade the new United States with an invention by US envoy Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin is just of the famous and not-so-famous-but-fascinating historical figures readers encounter. Napoleon makes a memorable cameo appearance with duck Jean-Luc. The ducks asks, “What have you learned tonight?” “Height is not a barrier to success”, the future dictator replies. “Neither is species. I am sure you will go far, Napoleon.”, the savvy duck predicts.

Most art not seen except for some spot art pencil sketches and panels, but what is there reflects what we’ve come to expect from Phelan, who has received the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (The Storm in the Barn) and nominated for five Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. Best for grades 4-7, it will be appreciated by an accomplished reader and will certainly encourage them to research more about the historical figures the characters encounter and included in the backmatter to come. A first purchase for all middle grade collections.

I read an ARC of this book, and more than half of the art hadn't been added to it yet. So I found the characters a little flat and confusing and the plot was predictable. I do think that the art would add more depth to the story, so I feel bad giving the book an average rating. Basically, I am giving this a 3-star rating, but with pictures, this has the potential to be a fun graphic novel/picture book.

Very intriguing story with captivating illustrations in true Matt Phelan style. I’m interested in reading an author’s note to find out the origins of this tale because it it seems like it is one of those “truth is stranger than fiction” type of stories with all of the factual events and characters. Good adventure and just enough middle school silliness.